I have recently provided onsite assessments for the regulatory annual employee physicals which is a process well standardized for ensuring employees are not a contagious risk to our residents and that they are able to perform their assigned duties. Rather than breeze through the exams, I chose to ask CNAs about prior work injuries and what they were doing to not only avoid injuries at work but to prevent injuries to high-risk areas like the shoulders and back. At one exam, the CNA strained her lower back the prior shift when a patient unexpectedly latched onto her hand during a minimal assist transfer. This CNA had not used the hand over hand technique, which could have prevented that injury. I subsequently found that a few CNAs were not aware of the value of this approach to patient care. For each CNA, I thanked them for their important work on behalf of our patients. When our patients become ill, they seldom have typical symptoms of acute serious illness and instead have subtle indicators. I thanked them for being the ones who recognize and report them to licensed nurses. One CNA said this had become more difficult since the COVID pandemic with less consistent patient assignments. I couldn't agree more and thanked him for saying so. As staffing improves, we can do better for our CNAs and their patients.
Our employees reflect the common health problems in our culture. Obesity (supersized Junk & fast-food pandemic), HBP, Physical inactivity, Sleep deprivation, Digital overuse, and Social isolation are real problems that may threaten their future health. When appropriate, I tried to make the connection between our culture’s unhealthy lifestyle and future significant health threats. JAMA has a wonderful free library for supporting patients and employees desiring to address a specific problem. I have attached the ones for back pain, obesity, and home BP monitoring for your review. Here is the link. https://jamanetwork.com/collections/6258/patient-information
As we attempt to rebuild our staff post-pandemic, we should take every opportunity to affirm our long-term investment in their well-being.
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